Mobile communication systems provide wide spread network coverage in many parts of the world today, and the geographical regions in which user equipment (UE), such as mobile devices, can receive network coverage from access nodes, such as base stations, continues to increase. Such network coverage is referred to herein as primary coverage. However, there are and will continue to be scenarios in which a UE cannot obtain network coverage from any network access node, such as in remote geographic regions, or when network equipment fails due to a natural disaster. Secondary coverage techniques can extend the coverage area of existing (and functional) access nodes by allowing UEs that are not in the coverage area of any network access node to gain access to a network via UEs that are in the coverage area of one or more network access nodes. For example, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) standard specifies a secondary coverage technique in which in-coverage UEs can implement relay node functionality to provide network coverage for UEs that are not in the coverage area of any network access node.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts, elements, etc.